Michael Jackson’s youngest child has decided to change his longstanding nickname after being known as Blanket for over a decade.
Officially named Prince Michael Jackson II, he was born via surrogate to the pop icon in 2002.
Due to his father frequently being seen wrapping him in a blanket to protect his identity and privacy, the nickname ‘Blanket’ soon became associated with him.
This nickname stayed with him throughout his early teenage years until 2015, when he chose to make a change.
Almost a decade ago, he adopted a new nickname – ‘Bigi’ – and now goes by ‘Bigi Jackson’.
Despite his famous lineage, Bigi is not interested in pursuing a career in music. Instead, he focuses on raising awareness about the dangers of climate change.
During an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain in 2021, he discussed living with his father’s legacy and why addressing climate change is crucial.
Bigi stated: “There’s a lot of really cool stuff here, there’s a lot of history here in this house and the studio here, that’s what he was all about.
“That’s what each of us want to do, make some things that people hopefully enjoy but also that benefit their lives.”
“I do think it’s important that we all know about [climate change], I think we have some work to do, but our generation knows how important it is.”
Following the death of Michael Jackson in 2009, Bigi, along with his siblings Prince Michael Jackson I and Paris Jackson, was raised by their grandmother Katherine Jackson. Bigi has since moved into his own mansion in California.
Public reactions to his name change and climate change advocacy have been supportive, acknowledging the challenges he has faced.
“It’s not easy coping with the death of a parent. Glad to see he’s doing better. Only wish good things for the offspring of MJ,” commented one individual.
Another person expressed, “I love his name and wish him a lot of luck,” while a third remarked that if they were nicknamed Blanket, they “would change my name too” and hoped Bigi could have a “normal life”.
Another individual praised Bigi’s commitment to climate change, saying, “So wonderful of to realize and speak up about Climate Change. It’s very real sad we all must come together to slow it down as much as possible. For our children, our grandchildren and future generations.”
For those who hope Bigi might follow in his father’s musical footsteps, he has admitted that he “can’t sing or dance”.